Republican US Senator John Cornyn is again trying to force US President Barack Obama to sell F-16C/D aircraft to Taiwan.
He has introduced an amendment ordering the sale to the bill authorizing the US’ defense budget for next year.
“The president shall carry out the sale of not fewer than 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan,” the amendment says.
At the very least, it will put the proposed sale back on the White House agenda and push Obama to consider the sale again as he negotiates with Capitol Hill over the final defense spending bill.
It is the latest in a string of moves by Cornyn to get the sale approved.
F-16s are manufactured by Lockheed Martin in Cornyn’s political district in Texas and a big contract with Taiwan would provide Texas with a lot of high-paying jobs.
The amendment is co-sponsored by Republican Senator Robert Menendez. The F-16 sale would also provide jobs in Menendez’s state of New Jersey.
Asked to explain his actions earlier this year, Cornyn said: “This sale is a win-win, in strengthening the national security of our friend Taiwan as well as our own, and supporting tens of thousands of jobs in the US.”
“Saying no would mean granting Communist China substantial sway over American foreign policy, putting us on a very slippery slope,” he said.
Cornyn’s amendment comes as the US Congressional Research Service has just issued an updated report titled Taiwan: Major US Arms Sales Since 1990.
Written by Asian Security Affairs specialist Shirley Kan, the report details US security assistance to Taiwan and discusses policy issues concerning Taiwan.
It says that US arms transfers to Taiwan have been significant despite the absence of a defense treaty, or a diplomatic relationship.
A total of US$4.3 billion in defense articles and services were delivered to Taiwan from 2004 to 2007 and US$2.9 billion between 2008 and last year.
Among customers worldwide, Taiwan ranked fourth (behind Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia) from 2004 to 2007 and fifth (behind Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and Australia) from 2008 to last year.
Last year, Taiwan ranked eighth among worldwide customers.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS